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Thursday, August 8, 2013

Happy Birthday and Other Stories by Meghna Pant

Title: Happy Birthday and Other Stories

Author: Meghna Pant

Publisher:Vintage Books - Random House India

Date: 2013

Price: Rs.299

Pages:296

Snapshot: This is a collection of 13 short stories centered around human, behaviour and its change with time and circumstances mostly migration to a foreign country or the journey's of foreigners to India. These stories strike through the heart mercilessly at some point or the other.

The stories as I said earlier are all centered around human behaviour and feelings and how they change with situations. These aren't stories that would lighten up your day, but they would force you to think more about human nature- your nature.

All the stories are good. There wasn't one that was not interesting. However the best ones are, starting from the first one which is The Gola Master, where Meghna strikes the sword through your heart most mercilessly. Hoopsters, the next in the line is a story that will stay with you forever. Happy Birthday - the story that is the book's title too is simple and smart. Friends, well it will make you cry. Lemon and Chilli, highly recommended for people abroad/ planning to go abroad or youngsters in general. Think before you judge your parents - is the message. The Message and The Bailout are cleverly cruel. After Ashes is very different from them all, a wonderful tale. Shaitans, her last blow will surely kill you with love.

The Review:

Positives: All the stories, the writing style in each and the message is different, though they are centered around a common theme. This is difficult and brilliantly done by Meghna. In most stories I couldnt and didnt want to predict what happens next, I was happy to flow with the story.

Negatives: Two of the stories The Gecko on the Wall and Clip and cane are predictable. Though Lemon and Chilli also is but I just loved the way it was presented.

The Verdict: Highly Recommended for short story lovers. 4 stars on 5.

About The Author:

A financial journalist by day and a writer by night, Meghna Pant is
the editor of a business magazine. She has formerly worked as a TV
anchor for NDTV Profit and Bloomberg-UTV. Her short stories have been
published in over a dozen literary magazines, across four countries.

An
avid traveller, Meghna Pant has stayed in various cities around the
world, from Mumbai and Singapore to Zurich and New York City. She is
currently based in Dubai.

One and a Half Wife - Meghna’s debut novel - has been long listed for
the Cinnamon Press Novel Writing Award, selected as a top ten finalists
in Word Hustler’s Literary Storm Novel Contest, and made it to the
second round of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.